Built by the Block: Kicking Summer Off at a Night Market

By Kimberly M. Parris

Summer time is here, and with it, my favorite thing: outdoor festivals.

As both a professional chef and a longtime foodie, nothing warms my heart more than heading outside during the summer months and going to different communities to share in the food and drink they have to offer.

With this past weekend being Juneteenth, I started off my summer food journey not far from home, at the Juneteenth Night Market, co-sponsored by Queens-based organizations Sovereign Markets and the BlaQue Resource Network.

Sovereign Markets was founded by social entrepreneur Dianna Rose, who launched the first urban farmers market in Southeast Queens, N.Y. during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, beginning in the parking lot of the Laurelton LIRR Station. A winner of the 2022 David Prize for her commitment to creating sustainable and healthy food ecosystems in New York City, Rose also established Essential Kitchen, the first ever commercial kitchen in Southeast Queens, helping local food and beverage vendors scale their businesses. The Night Market series grew out of that same community-first vision.

The BlaQue Resource Network was founded by Aleeia Abraham in 2019 as a Queens-based collective of close to 60,000 Black individuals from or living in the borough. Under Abraham's leadership, the organization has helped thousands of businesses create new avenues for revenue — including a published guide on how to register your business in Queens, as well as a partnership with Yelp to amplify local businesses across Southeast Queens. Her work with BRN has set the stage for BlaQue Community Cares, a nonprofit designed to create long-term economic impact for Black businesses, creatives and residents.

Together, Rose and Abraham co-founded the Night Market series, bringing their complementary missions to communities across Queens. Their Juneteenth Night Market was their latest installment.

It was the perfect partnership to bring out the community for the summer.

I went in with high hopes for getting three things: the perfect chilled drink, a smoky, succulent rib, and a flawless small bite.

I left with two out of the three, which was more than enough for me.

The market featured dozens of local vendors, of which almost half were from local restaurants and independent solopreneurs sharing their treats, meals, and baked goods. I started out by grabbing a smoothie from Bklyn Blend, a Brooklyn-based juice bar and community hub, with a commitment to nourishing and uplifting underserved communities through their fresh juices and wellness lifestyle approach. Their Marcy Mango smoothie, a smooth, creamy blend of fresh mango, mango nectar, agave and pineapple, was the perfect way to start my gallivanting through the festival - and it scratched my ‘perfect chilled drink’ itch perfectly.

My next stop was to Bigg Boy Master Griller. They had their oil-drum grills working overtime with jerk chicken, BBQ chicken, pork, and more. One of the most popular grillers in Southeast Queens, they are known for their grilled chicken, but also their ribs. Sadly, they were all out of ribs and I had to wait for the next batch of meat to be ready, so I decided to continue exploring.

This led me to the tent for Taco and Ting, a local restaurant recently featured on Yelp as a dope Women-Owned Spot in Southeast Queens. The owner, Tremaine, merges her Jamaican heritage with Mexican flavor and makes dope tacos, bowls, and agua frescas. I had met Tremaine before, at a cash mob the BlaQue Resource Network organized in her honor a few months back—one of those beautifully intentional moments where the community just shows up, all at once, wallets out and ready. I got to try her Jerk Chicken Taco there before, so I knew it was going to be the perfect small bite for me.

It did not disappoint.

Chock full of juicy chicken, pickled spicy veggies, cabbage, and this creamy aioli that brings everything together - it was delectable. Taco and Ting also has dishes like Oxtail Birria and this side dish called Ting Corn, which is her version of an elote bowl. It was so good to see her and her staff thriving!

I made two more stops on my Night Market tour - to grab a classic icee from one of my favorite local entertainment vendors (lemon lime for the win!), and to see about getting a shaved ice from a shaved ice and lemonade vendor across the way. The line for the shaved ice stretched across the market each and every time I went over there! I wound up sticking with my classic icee and just watching everyone else enjoy theirs.

Aside from where I visited, the night market featured bottled mixed drinks, niche empanadas, sweet treats like cake and Southern banana pudding, BBQ chicken and fritters with sides like macaroni and cheese and sautéed cabbage, and some delectable-looking wings that I regret not going back for in hind sight.

The Sovereign Market x BlaQue Juneteenth Night Market was a vibe from beginning to end, and the perfect way to start my summer eating outside. Stay tuned to see where I go and check out next!